Wales's Scott Baldwin lines up ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup warm up match between Ireland and Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on August 29, 2015. AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITH (Photo credit

Wales' hooker Scott Baldwin attends the captain's run training session at Twickenham stadium in London on October 9, 2015, on the eve of their Rugby World Cup 2015 pool A match against Australia. AFP PHOTO / MARTIN BUREAU -- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)

Wales' hooker Scott Baldwin attends the captain's run training session at Twickenham stadium in London on October 9, 2015, on the eve of their Rugby World Cup 2015 pool A match against Australia. AFP PHOTO /

Wales' hooker Scott Baldwin is taken off the pitch during a quarter final match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between South Africa and Wales at Twickenham stadium, southwest London, on October 17, 2015. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)

Wales' hooker Scott Baldwin is taken off the pitch during a quarter final match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between South Africa and Wales at Twickenham stadium, southwest London, on October 17, 2015. AFP

Italy's hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini (L) tackles Wales' hooker Scott Baldwin (C) during the Six Nations international rugby union match between Italy and Wales on March 21, 2015 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.

Limerick , Ireland - 20 May 2017; Dave Kilcoyne of Munster is tackled by Scott Baldwin, left, and Justin Tipuric of Ospreys during the Guinness PRO12 semi-final between Munster and Ospreys at Thomond Park in

Scotland's hooker Fraser Brown tackles Wales' Scott Baldwin during the Six Nations international rugby union match between Scotland and Wales at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Scotland on February 25, 2017.

Limerick , Ireland - 20 May 2017; Keith Earls of Munster is tackled by Scott Baldwin, left, and Ashley Beck of Ospreys during the Guinness PRO12 semi-final between Munster and Ospreys at Thomond Park in

Scott Baldwin of Wales in action during the Rugby World Cup pool A group match between Wales and Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, UK. Photo: Visionhaus/Gary Prior (Photo by Ben Radford/Corbis via Getty Images)

Scott Baldwin throws the line out ball in the warm up during the IRB RWC 2015 match between Wales v Australia - Pool A Match 35 at Twickenham Stadium. London, England. 10 October 2015 --- Image by ï¿½ï¿½

Scott Baldwin throws the line out ball in the warm up during the IRB RWC 2015 match between Wales v Australia - Pool A Match 35 at Twickenham Stadium. London, England. 10 October 2015 --- Image by ï¿½ï¿½

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (AP) — A Welsh rugby player had an unusual reason for missing a big game in South Africa: A lion bit his hand.

Scott Baldwin was taken to the hospital to receive stitches and treatment against infection after ignoring instructions about not touching a lion during the trip to a game park in South Africa.

His coach was not sympathetic.

"When you put your hand in a fence where there is a lion, then you will get bitten," Ospreys coach Steve Tandy said. "It was pretty stupid on Scott's behalf and he is pretty lucky. It was a good environment and we were told how far back to stand.

"I don't know what sort of wildlife show Scott has been watching where you can pat a lion on the head as if it's a kitten."

The 29-year-old Baldwin also plays as a hooker for Wales' national team. He was with Welsh club Ospreys in Bloemfontein for a PRO14 league game against a South African franchise ironically called Cheetahs on Friday.

Without Baldwin, Ospreys lost 44-25.

The incident took place on Thursday.

"Sorry all Ospreys fans for letting you and the team down by missing the game through the bite!" Baldwin said on Twitter , where he also uploaded a video of the incident.

"On the mend thankfully & should be up & running round soon enough thanks for your support & concern."

Ospreys said Baldwin would be released from hospital on Saturday to travel home with the rest of the squad.